READING WORKSHOP PROPOSAL

1. Deliverables:
- Targeted type of question: matching information to paragraphs
- Recommended steps:
o Step 1: read the questions first, read them CAREFULLY. These are the 2 small
steps to let you fully UNDERSTAND the question.
 Look into the sentence structure
 Highlight the main object the question is looking for, often a noun: a
species, a plant, figure,…
 Highlight the adjectives, verb, describing that object.
 It is important to understand the question, this is the most important step.
Because only then, participants can know what they need to locate in the
passage.

o Step 2:
 scan the passage, one by one.
 Whenever you sense that the passage includes the information in the
questions, immediately turn back to the question, read the key highlights
=> write down the answer if they are matched.
 For guaranteed, you can find the synonym of the questions with the
passage

 Why scan one by one: having the big picture of what the passage is about, easier
to locate the needed information for the later exercise.

o Step 3: if you consider between 2 paragraphs, noted them down to compare.

 How to compare: By pointing out the SYNONYM

o Step 4: Repeat the whole process with other questions.

- Key tips:
o Scanning the whole passage
o You MUST find the SYNONYM.
2. Practice example (Cambridge 17 – Test 3 Passage 2)

Palm oil

Palm oil is an edible oil derived from the fruit of the African oil palm tree, and is currently the
most consumed vegetable oil in the world. It’s almost certainly in the soap we wash with in the
morning, the sandwich we have for lunch, and the biscuits we snack on during the day. Why is
palm oil so attractive for manufacturers? Primarily because its unique properties – such as
remaining solid at room temperature – make it an ideal ingredient for long-term preservation,
allowing many packaged foods on supermarket shelves to have ‘best before’ dates of months,
even years, into the future.

Many farmers have seized the opportunity to maximise the planting of oil palm trees. Between
1990 and 2012, the global land area devoted to growing oil palm trees grew from 6 to 17 million
hectares, now accounting for around ten percent of total cropland in the entire world. From a
mere two million tonnes of palm oil being produced annually globally 50 years ago, there are
now around 60 million tonnes produced every single year, a figure looking likely to double or
even triple by the middle of the century.

However, there are multiple reasons why conservationists cite the rapid spread of oil palm
plantations as a major concern. There are countless news stories of deforestation, habitat
destruction and dwindling species populations, all as a direct result of land clearing to establish
oil palm tree monoculture on an industrial scale, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Endangered species – most famously the Sumatran orangutan, but also rhinos, elephants, tigers,
and numerous other fauna – have suffered from the unstoppable spread of oil palm plantations.

‘Palm oil is surely one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity,’ declares Dr Farnon Ellwood
of the University of the West of England, Bristol. ‘Palm oil is replacing rainforest, and rainforest is
where all the species are. That’s a problem.’ This has led to some radical questions among
environmentalists, such as whether consumers should try to boycott palm oil entirely.

Meanwhile Bhavani Shankar, Professor at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies,
argues, ‘It’s easy to say that palm oil is the enemy and we should be against it. It makes for a
more dramatic story, and it’s very intuitive. But given the complexity of the argument, I think a
much more nuanced story is closer to the truth.’

One response to the boycott movement has been the argument for the vital role palm oil plays
in lifting many millions of people in the developing world out of poverty. Is it desirable to have
palm oil boycotted, replaced, eliminated from the global supply chain, given how many low-
income people in developing countries depend on it for their livelihoods? How best to strike a
utilitarian balance between these competing factors has become a serious bone of contention.

Even the deforestation argument isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Oil palm plantations
produce at least four and potentially up to ten times more oil per hectare than soybean,
rapeseed, sunflower or other competing oils. That immensely high yield – which is
predominantly what makes it so profitable – is potentially also an ecological benefit. If ten times
more palm oil can be produced from a patch of land than any competing oil, then ten times
more land would need to be cleared in order to produce the same volume of oil from that
competitor.

As for the question of carbon emissions, the issue really depends on what oil palm trees are
replacing. Crops vary in the degree to which they sequester carbon – in other words, the amount
of carbon they capture from the atmosphere and store within the plant. The more carbon a plant
sequesters, the more it reduces the effect of climate change. As Shankar explains: ‘[Palm oil
production] actually sequesters more carbon in some ways than other alternatives. […] Of
course, if you’re cutting down virgin forest it’s terrible – that’s what’s happening in Indonesia and
Malaysia, it’s been allowed to get out of hand. But if it’s replacing rice, for example, it might
actually sequester more carbon.’

The industry is now regulated by a group called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO),
consisting of palm growers, retailers, product manufacturers, and other interested parties. Over
the past decade or so, an agreement has gradually been reached regarding standards that
producers of palm oil have to meet in order for their product to be regarded as officially
‘sustainable’. The RSPO insists upon no virgin forest clearing, transparency and regular
assessment of carbon stocks, among other criteria. Only once these requirements are fully
satisfied is the oil allowed to be sold as certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). Recent figures
show that the RSPO now certifies around 12 million tonnes of palm oil annually, equivalent to
roughly 21 percent of the world’s total palm oil production.

H
There is even hope that oil palm plantations might not need to be such sterile monocultures, or
‘green deserts’, as Ellwood describes them. New research at Ellwood’s lab hints at one plant
which might make all the difference. The bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus) grows on trees in an
epiphytic fashion (meaning it’s dependent on the tree only for support, not for nutrients), and is
native to many tropical regions, where as a keystone species it performs a vital ecological role.
Ellwood believes that reintroducing the bird’s nest fern into oil palm plantations could
potentially allow these areas to recover their biodiversity, providing a home for all manner of
species, from fungi and bacteria, to invertebrates such as insects, amphibians, reptiles and even
mammals.

Questions 14-20

Which section contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-H, in boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet.

Example for demonstration:

16 examples of the widespread global use of palm oil

Palm oil is an edible oil derived from the fruit of the African oil palm tree, and is currently the
most consumed vegetable oil in the world. It’s almost certainly in the soap we wash with in the
morning, the sandwich we have for lunch, and the biscuits we snack on during the day.

Exercise

14 examples of a range of potential environmental advantages of oil palm tree cultivation

Even the deforestation argument isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Oil palm plantations
produce at least four and potentially up to ten times more oil per hectare than soybean,
rapeseed, sunflower or other competing oils. That immensely high yield – which is
predominantly what makes it so profitable – is potentially also an ecological benefit.

15 description of an organisation which controls the environmental impact of palm oil

production.

The industry is now regulated by a group called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
(RSPO), consisting of palm growers, retailers, product manufacturers, and other interested
parties. Over the past decade or so, an agreement has gradually been reached regarding
standards that producers of palm oil have to meet in order for their product to be regarded as
officially ‘sustainable’.

17 reference to a particular species which could benefit the ecosystem of oil palm
plantations

There is even hope that oil palm plantations might not need to be such sterile monocultures, or
‘green deserts’, as Ellwood describes them. New research at Ellwood’s lab hints at one plant
which might make all the difference. The bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus) grows on trees in
an epiphytic fashion (meaning it’s dependent on the tree only for support, not for nutrients), and
is native to many tropical regions, where as a keystone species it performs a vital ecological role.
Ellwood believes that reintroducing the bird’s nest fern into oil palm plantations could
potentially allow these areas to recover their biodiversity

18 figures illustrating the rapid expansion of the palm oil industry

Many farmers have seized the opportunity to maximise the planting of oil palm trees. Between
1990 and 2012, the global land area devoted to growing oil palm trees grew from 6 to 17
million hectares, now accounting for around ten percent of total cropland in the entire world.

From a mere two million tonnes of palm oil being produced annually globally 50 years ago,
there are now around 60 million tonnes produced every single year, a figure looking likely to
double or even triple by the middle of the century.

19 an economic justification for not opposing the palm oil industry

One response to the boycott movement has been the argument for the vital role palm oil
plays in lifting many millions of people in the developing world out of poverty.

20 examples of creatures badly affected by the establishment of oil palm plantations

Endangered species – most famously the Sumatran orangutan, but also rhinos, elephants,
tigers, and numerous other fauna – have suffered from the unstoppable spread of oil palm
plantations
 3. Proposal for Action Plan

Time Activity Action Plan Notes/ Problems

IntroductionIce-breaker - Student share their target band score for IELTS Reading
(5 min) - The type of question they hate the most
Overview of the Briefly explain the objectives and structure of the
Workshop workshop
(5 min)
Introduction to IELTS Overview the task, emphasize that it requires strong skills
Reading, Matching of locating the information
information type of
question
(5 min)
Methodology Reviewing participants’ Asking participants to discuss how do they usually tackle In question (2), what I mean is to
method the task. Then asking every one by yes no questions point out they should not answer
(15 min) (could be by raising hand) them question by question but
(1) Raise your hand if you read the passage/ questions read the passage first and fill the
first? letter in random question.
(2) Do you answer your questions sequentially/ However, I believe it is not clear
consecutively? enough.
(3) Raise you hand if you detect the synonym before
writing down your answer Can you help me to rephrase it?

Introducing Follow the deliverables.

recommended steps
(10 min)
Demonstration Guide the participants follow the recommended steps
(15 min) - Analyze the question
- Quickly scan through the first passage to see whether
the needed information is there + point out the keyword
Practical Reading Practice - Let the participants do the exercise individually
Application (30 min) - Discussion in groups: exchange the analysis of
questions, synonyms, the answers

Q&A Session - Asking groups for analysis of questions, synonyms and

(20 min) answers
- Showing the answers
Conclusion Recap of key points - Summarize the key tips (follow deliverables section)
(5 mins) - Reassure that this can be applied to different tasks that
requires locating information: such as matching names
with their sayings

Closing - Thank you and closing session

(5 min)
Total 115 mins
Questions 21–22

Choose TWO letters, A–E.

Write the correct letters in boxes 21 and 22 on your answer sheet.

Which TWO statements are made about the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)?

A. Its membership has grown steadily over the course of the last decade.
B. It demands that certified producers be open and honest about their practices.
C. It took several years to establish its set of criteria for sustainable palm oil certification.
D. Its regulations regarding sustainability are stricter than those governing other industries.
E. It was formed at the request of environmentalists concerned about the loss of virgin
forests.
Stadiums: Past, Present and Future

A. Stadiums are among the oldest forms of urban architecture: vast stadiums where the public
could watch sporting events were at the centre of western city life as far back as the ancient
Greek and Roman Empires, well before the construction of the great medieval cathedrals and the
grand 19th- and 20th-century railway stations which dominated urban skylines in later eras.

B. The amphitheatre of Arles in southwest France, with a capacity of 25,000 spectators, is

perhaps the best example of just how versatile stadiums can be. Built by the Romans in 90 AD, it
became a fortress with four towers after the fifth century, and was then transformed into a
village containing more than 200 houses. With the growing interest in conservation during the
19th century, it was converted back into an arena for the staging of bullfights, thereby returning
the structure to its original use as a venue for public spectacles.

Another example is the imposing arena of Verona in northern Italy, with space for 30,000
spectators, which was built 60 years before the Arles amphitheatre and 40 years before Rome’s
famous Colosseum. It has endured the centuries and is currently considered one of the world’s
prime sites for opera, thanks to its outstanding acoustics.

C. The area in the centre of the Italian town of Lucca, known as the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, is yet
another impressive example of an amphitheatre becoming absorbed into the fabric of the city.
The site evolved in a similar way to Arles and was progressively filled with buildings from the
Middle Ages until the 19th century, variously used as houses, a salt depot and a prison. But
rather than reverting to an arena, it became a market square, designed by Romanticist architect
Lorenzo Nottolini. Today, the ruins of the amphitheatre remain embedded in the various shops
and residences surrounding the public square.

D. There are many similarities between modern stadiums and the ancient amphitheatres
intended for games. But some of the flexibility was lost at the beginning of the 20th century, as
stadiums were developed using new products such as steel and reinforced concrete, and made
use of bright lights for night-time matches.
Many such stadiums are situated in suburban areas, designed for sporting use only and
surrounded by parking lots. These factors mean that they may not be as accessible to the
general public, require more energy to run and contribute to urban heat.

E. But many of today’s most innovative architects see scope for the stadium to help improve the
city. Among the current strategies, two seem to be having particular success: the stadium as an
urban hub, and as a power plant.

There’s a growing trend for stadiums to be equipped with public spaces and services that serve
a function beyond sport, such as hotels, retail outlets, conference centres, restaurants and bars,
children’s playgrounds and green space. Creating mixed-use developments such as this
reinforces compactness and multi-functionality, making more efficient use of land and helping
to regenerate urban spaces.

This opens the space up to families and a wider cross-section of society, instead of catering only
to sportspeople and supporters. There have been many examples of this in the UK: the mixed-
use facilities at Wembley and Old Trafford have become a blueprint for many other stadiums in
the world.

F. The phenomenon of stadiums as power stations has arisen from the idea that energy
problems can be overcome by integrating interconnected buildings by means of a smart grid,
which is an electricity supply network that uses digital communications technology to detect and
react to local changes in usage, without significant energy losses. Stadiums are ideal for these
purposes, because their canopies have a large surface area for fitting photovoltaic panels and
rise high enough (more than 40 metres) to make use of micro wind turbines.

Freiburg Mage Solar Stadium in Germany is the first of a new wave of stadiums as power plants,
which also includes the Amsterdam Arena and the Kaohsiung Stadium. The latter, inaugurated in
2009, has 8,844 photovoltaic panels producing up to 1.14 GWh of electricity annually. This
reduces the annual output of carbon dioxide by 660 tons and supplies up to 80 percent of the
surrounding area when the stadium is not in use. This is proof that a stadium can serve its city,
and have a decidedly positive impact in terms of reduction of CO2 emissions.
G. Sporting arenas have always been central to the life and culture of cities. In every era, the
stadium has acquired new value and uses: from military fortress to residential village, public
space to theatre and most recently a field for experimentation in advanced engineering. The
stadium of today now brings together multiple functions, thus helping cities to create a
sustainable future.

14. a mention of negative attitudes towards stadium building projects

15. figures demonstrating the environmental benefits of a certain stadium
16. examples of the wide range of facilities available at some new stadiums
17. reference to the disadvantages of the stadiums built during a certain era

Less information on introducing

Steps:

1. Understand the question

2. Scan
3. Matching with the paragraph by SYNONYM
4.